THAAD Initial Operational Test and Evaluation Conducted

The BMDS Operational Test Agency (OTA) conducted, with support of the Missile Defense Agency, an operational test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) on Oct. 5, 2011, 1:56 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii. Soldiers from Alpha Battery, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, under the operational control of the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command operated the THAAD system.

Today's event was THAAD's first Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E). This was an operational test, with the Army and Department of Defense test and evaluation organizations fully engaged to ensure the execution and results are representative of the fielded system.

During the test, THAAD system engaged and simultaneously intercepted one short-range and one medium-range class ballistic missile target. The U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command and the BMDS Operational Test Agency will review data collected from this event to make an operational assessment of the THAAD system. The Director, Operational Test and Evaluation, will also independently evaluate the operational effectiveness of the system.